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I am setting out from SJPdP the first week of April 2014 and am really comfortable with my packing list, except one nagging question: do I need waterproof / snow / rain pants for the early part of the trip over the Pyrenees?
From the weather reports and input on this forum, I will definitely be walking through snow and wet conditions on the ground while snow and rain is falling from the sky. Do I need waterproof / snow / rain pants or is that overdoing it?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I don't like rain pants much, but sounds like your first day (and probably only your first day) will have some pretty harsh conditions. I would suggest taking a cheap pair of Frogg Toggs (Dri Ducks) pants. You can find them at Amazon or an outdoor store like Academy. They would give you the peace of mind going over that first mountain pass in the snow, but you could then ditch them in Roncesvalles with no guilt.
I'm not sure I understand the cult of the Altus around here. I keep hearing about how leaky it is - at least in its current version. I'm a huge fan of the Packa. Pricey up front, but has been worth every penny for its design features and effectiveness.
http://www.thepacka.com/
Caplen, thank you for your response!
I believe I'll depart SJPdP on the Friday the 4th of April ... (if all goes as planned).
I am monitoring weather at http://www.aemet.es/es/eltiempo/prediccion/municipios/orreaga-roncesvalles-id31211, which is only 7 days out and the forecast is all snow!
Do you have another weather site you keep your eye on?
You are the second person to recommend the Packa --- hmmm, serious contemplation now. I've sent them a message.
And do you think this would go perfectly with normal hiking pants and goretex boots (no rain pants nor gaiters)?
Thanks!
Theresa
Thanks! I'm boiling my 'great, internal, rain-gear debate' down:
Option A: Poncho
Option B: Rain Jacket, Pants, and Pack Cover
- Poncho: Packa, $120USD, really effective - http://www.thepacka.com/
- Rain Pants from Frogg Toggs (Dri Ducks) suit, $25USD, light and effective - http://www.froggtoggs.com/
I have decided to not get gaiters... so I've got that going for me
- Rain Jacket: Marmot Light Rain Jacket (I already own it) OR Rain Top from Frogg Toggs Dri Ducks Suit (I need to see it before I decide)
- Rain Pants from Frogg Toggs (Dri Ducks) suit, $25USD, light and effective - http://www.froggtoggs.com/
- Pack Cover (included with Opsrey Kestral 38L)
- Umbrella (gift ~free~ would have no issues leaving it in a box at an albergue)
My previous post cut off my last couple of sentences for some reason, but I think that's a good decision on not buying/bringing gaiters for just one hiking day. But do resign yourself to the probability of a few days of wet boots (which the gaiters might not entirely prevent anyway).
I would say Option A, definitely. (Though the Packa is not a poncho)
Personally, I would ditch the rain pants after the first couple of days, once I was off the mountain.
The problem with Option B is two-fold. A rain jacket worn under pack straps is not breathable, even if it is made from so-called breathable material, because there is no ventilation. You will get extra hot and sweaty. Also, a separate rain jacket and pack cover system does not protect the space between your back and pack. Your pack can still get soaked in that gap. This is the brilliance of the Packa. (I swear I don't work for them!)
I love to hike with an umbrella, if the terrain allows me to feel comfortable with one pole instead of two, or on rest/sightseeing days. And not just in the rain. I'm more likely to use it in the sun - so cooling, no or less sunblock cream making me sweat more. Have you seen the GoLite Chrome Dome? http://www.golite.com/Chrome-Dome-Trekking-Umbrella-P928.aspx#reviews
Thanks! I see your strong vote for Option A to create a breathable experience that also protects the space between my back and the pack.
I'll be singing and dancing in the rain(storm) and am fine getting wet - it's inevitable, but I do like preventing what I can
- Poncho: Packa, $120USD, really effective - http://www.thepacka.com/
- Rain Pants from Frogg Toggs (Dri Ducks) suit, $25USD, light and effective - http://www.froggtoggs.com/
- Umbrella (gift ~free~ would have no issues leaving it in a box at an albergue, good for rain and sun!)
The GoLite Chrome Dome looks awesome! There is great gear for everything.. no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear, eh?
Weather is a state of mind. I used to dread walking in rain . . . I love rainy hikes now, wet feet and all.
Check out O2 rainwear. Cheap, ugly (we call it the hazmat suit) . It is the lightest, most breathable, most comfortable stuff ever. Cheap enough to be nearly disposable, which is good, because it is a bit fragile. The top is probably not tough enough for use with a pack, but the pants would be.
This rainwear is the only stuff I've ever taken off and been completely dry----no rain and no sweat. It does not cling to you when wet. It is weird material. But wonderful.
View attachment 8835
http://o2rainwear.com/2011/03/original-pant/
I'm walking in April as well this year, but starting late March, and expecting wet weather and snow. I am taking goretex rain pants that pack down really small, and rather than gaiters using sealskinz socks to try to keep the wet out. Boots are never really waterproof. Nonetheless, in horrendous weather the rain will nearly always find a way through.
Check out O2 rainwear. Cheap, ugly (we call it the hazmat suit) . It is the lightest, most breathable, most comfortable stuff ever. Cheap enough to be nearly disposable, which is good, because it is a bit fragile. The top is probably not tough enough for use with a pack, but the pants would be.
This rainwear is the only stuff I've ever taken off and been completely dry----no rain and no sweat. It does not cling to you when wet. It is weird material. But wonderful.
View attachment 8835
http://o2rainwear.com/2011/03/original-pant/
I am with you on that. My experience is that even good, breathable, rainwear doesn't cope well with a good sweat once it starts to rain. I suspect it is partly because it is very hard for sweat to evaporate as the surrounding air becomes increasingly saturated, and has less capacity to absorb more moisture.Lucky you. I can not walk a mile, in any weather, on the Camino without breaking a sweat.
An old saying adapted to the Camino: where there are six pilgrims, there may be 8 opinions!
To Phil: I'd test those Seal Skin socks. I had a bad experience with Seal Skin gloves on the Camino last April. I was warm but my hands were so wet inside the gloves they pruned up like I'd been in a hot tub for 48 hours. Never used them again. Socks may be different.
CAPLEN, how do you find the Macabi skirt with rain? I am being pulled between the macabi skirt and the discovery skirt by Royal Robbins. With the discovery skirt, I think I may have to get rain pants (and wear them under the skirt???).I am a strange fit, and have never found rain pants that me fit comfortably and were affordable. Not that I've looked all that hard, since I've taken to hiking in a Macabi skirt most of the time these days. Also, I hike warm, and even "breathable" rain gear makes me feel claustrophobic. Even in my beloved Packa, I keep the front unzipped and the pit zips open almost all the time. I just like that it is so easy to go from a simple pack cover to keep my gear dry while I hike in a drizzle or light rain, perhaps with an umbrella. But if there is a deluge, it is easy to pull the rain jacket part forward and zip up with hood, even if I'm hiking alone.
And I don't need rain pants to help keep my feet dry, since I hike in mesh top trail runners and synthetic socks. They will get wet. And then they will dry quickly.
But I was amused by this I stumbled across and might try it out for kicks - a rain skirt! (You can buy rain skirts/kilts for lots of money, but easy to make cheap ones)
http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.fi/2012/07/instructional-illustration-rain-skirt.html
That link links to this source as well - Tyvek pants - uber cheap, breathable, and lightweight (I use an ultralight tyvek ground cover for my tent - the stuff works)
http://www.qcsupply.com/70662-tyvek...&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=productfeeds
CAPLEN, how do you find the Macabi skirt with rain? I am being pulled between the macabi skirt and the discovery skirt by Royal Robbins. With the discovery skirt, I think I may have to get rain pants (and wear them under the skirt???).
Thanks, CAPLEN. I am definitely leaning towards the macabi. Do you have just one macabi or two? Or do you have a different type of clothing for alternative days?
Kris
I have used this product for years and have never been as satified with rain gear as i am now. Folds small into little pouch durable BIG TIME , and pack is always dry straps and all. Buen Camino http://www.rei.com/product/743069/outdoor-products-packframe-ponchoThanks! I'm boiling my 'great, internal, rain-gear debate' down:
Option A: Poncho
Option B: Rain Jacket, Pants, and Pack Cover
- Poncho: Packa, $120USD, really effective - http://www.thepacka.com/
- Rain Pants from Frogg Toggs (Dri Ducks) suit, $25USD, light and effective - http://www.froggtoggs.com/
I have decided to not get gaiters... so I've got that going for me
- Rain Jacket: Marmot Light Rain Jacket (I already own it) OR Rain Top from Frogg Toggs Dri Ducks Suit (I need to see it before I decide)
- Rain Pants from Frogg Toggs (Dri Ducks) suit, $25USD, light and effective - http://www.froggtoggs.com/
- Pack Cover (included with Opsrey Kestral 38L)
- Umbrella (gift ~free~ would have no issues leaving it in a box at an albergue)
Are rain pants AND a poncho overkill for May? .
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